


Awareness

by Maicee



Series: Consciousness [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-26
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4586391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maicee/pseuds/Maicee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Companion fic to Consciousness). Each member of despair woke up one by one whether they were ready to face the world or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One, two, three, four, five.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! This is a pretty generic post-despair fic, I suppose. You don't have to read Consciousness to understand the story, but because Mahiru and Hiyoko waking up was in that fic, they won't be in this one. I hope that makes sense!

Hinata Hajime was the very first to awaken.

It made sense, really. He was probably the person most aware of their situation, even if they all knew what had happened. He had been the one to figure out the kinks, the one to piece together all the information, even if the truth was worse than they had ever realized.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw green. He closed them again as the harsh light stunned him. How long had he been here, sleeping and dreaming of the simulation? Just over a month? Something like that. The light was so bright that he couldn’t see the other side of the glass properly. He had to blink quite a few times to adjust his vision.

Just as he was finally getting used to the sensation, the glass lifted, showing him a dark ceiling. That was when he realized he was lying down. It was a slow climb to lift himself up and out, but he managed it somehow, even though his legs were aching. It was probably from standing up during the last trial for so long.

There was a foreign feeling on his back. Something fell against it, something soft, and that was when he realized his hair had changed. He took a few strands between his fingers: black. Black like the soul of the person who caused all this. And he had been her right hand man.

He clenched his fists.

“Hinata-kun?” said a voice, apprehension written all over it. He recognized it…

“Naegi-san?” Hajime looked towards the door where Naegi Makoto was standing. He looked slightly taller than he had in the simulation and was now wearing a black suit, but he was definitely the same person he had seen earlier.

Naegi smiled and walked inside, stepping over the wires of the pod room. “It’s nice to see you’re awake and, well, _you_. At least something came out of all this. Come on, let’s get you to a hospital room. It’ll be easier to rest in there.”

Hajime started following the younger man out the door, but his eyes travelled between the pods in the room. He couldn’t see into any of them from where he was standing, but he knew they contained his friends, both the alive and the comatose. At least they weren’t dead. Yet.

Sensing his hesitation, Naegi said, “Don’t worry, everyone’s safe. The other four will wake up soon. Just give them time. It’s been a huge ordeal for all of you.”

With one last glance backwards, he followed Naegi into the hallway.

 

* * *

 

Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko didn’t want to wake up when he did. He had been having a wonderful dream, one where he and Peko were alive and together and nothing else in the universe mattered. They were stargazing, lying on a grassy hill in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t know how they’d managed to make it that far but he didn’t care. He was with Peko. She was all he needed.

But then he woke up. And she wasn’t with him anymore.

That realization hit him like a tonne of bricks, and once it did his one working eye opened, welcoming him to the blinding light above him. He let out a shout and grimaced. They really needed a warning label on these things, whatever they were.

When the door opened, he pretty much leaped out of the pod. That was a bad idea as he was still recovering, and surely Peko would have scolded him for being too reckless, but he wanted to get up as soon as possible. He needed to know that there was a possibility, even if it was just a tiny one, that Peko and the others would wake up and become whole again. He wanted everyone to wake up and be safe, apologize to those who needed and wanted it.

He looked at the pod beside him, stepping over the wires to make it easier to see. Once he did, his breath hitched and he almost fainted again. Peko was in there. She was slightly taller and her hair was longer, but it was definitely her. She looked so calm during slumber, so relaxed and off-guard that he couldn’t help but smile. But he wasn’t satisfied with that. He needed her to open her eyes and look at him.

Hell, he needed _her_.

He would have moved even closer had the door not opened at that very moment. A young lady he recognized as Kirigiri Kyouko looked him up and down, taking in his appearance before walking over to him. Her hair was longer than in the simulation, which made sense, but it was weird seeing her look more mature.

“Kuzuryuu-san, how are you feeling?” she asked. “You’re the second person awake.”

Looking around, he saw that what she said was true. Another of the pods was open. “Who else is awake?”

“Hinata-san,” Kyouko replied, already turning towards the door. “He woke up about half an hour ago. Shall I show you to your hospital room? It’ll be easier for you to rest that way.”

He nodded, though his eyes were on Peko’s pod until the doors closed.

 

* * *

 

Like a true princess, the first thing Sonia Nevermind thought of when she woke up was her country.

Towards the end of the last class trial, she had been far too focused on the fact that no one had truly died, the last thing she remembered being her relief. Now that her mind was waking up she was becoming horrified with herself. How could she have not thought of Novoselic? They were her people, and considering their time in despair it was unclear what had happened to them. She had probably used them to her advantage the entire time. What if they despised her?

She didn’t think she would be able to bear it.

Tears stung the back of her eyelids even before she opened her eyes. She could only imagine the pain her people felt at her hands and the guilt swelled in her chest. The tears fell as soon as she opened her eyes, both from her emotions and the light. Her chest constricted and a feeling of being trapped consumed her until the lid of the pod opened.

Giving no heed to her health, she swung her legs over the side of the pod, her tears falling freely now. She needed to get out of wherever this was and find the others. Her brain vaguely registered two open pods, meaning two of the others had to be around somewhere. That was the thought that propelled her forward.

She threw the doors open with more force than really necessary, but she was too unstable to care. What she needed right now was information. All she had to do was find someone who could give it to her.

Someone must have heard her sobs as the door across the hall opened. At first she thought it might have been Monokuma, coming back for more, but it was only the short form of Naegi Makoto. He rushed towards her quickly, a look of shock and concern on his face as he took her by the shoulders.

“What’s wrong, Sonia-san?” he asked, urgency in his voice.

She tried to stop her cries, but she couldn’t. “I’m… Novoselic. What happened to them, Naegi-san?! What happened?! Shit, bitch, motherfucker!”

Naegi stepped back slightly, shocked at the sudden profanities. “S-Sonia-san, please calm down! I’ll find out, okay? Or at least Togami should be able to manage it.”

At this point, Hajime and Fuyuhiko were on the landing near the stairs, staring with wide eyes. They would want to speak to her when she had calmed down, she knew, but right now her focus was on Novoselic and the people she had left behind, like her parents.

Wait, where were her parents? What had happened to them?

She burst into a fresh set of tears once more.

 

* * *

 

Rice? Yes, there was rice, and there was definitely some chicken in the mix as well. And was that halibut? Yep, definitely.

Owari Akane’s nose was awake before the rest of her body. She woke up to the smell of food cooking, and it was that thought that woke up the rest of her senses one by one. Her eyes were the last to open and she recoiled at the light, then laughed. The light was harmless, at least compared to everything else she had been through.

She did a flip over the side of the pod, landing on her feet but staggering a bit. While she might have trained during the simulation, her actual body was still out of practice and she would need to remedy that in due time. If only Nekomaru were still with her. Even Mini-Maru had disappeared, having been deleted with the rest of the simulation.

Although she wasn’t the one to cry, she felt like she would if she dwelled on what she didn’t have, and so she left. Her nose would lead her to where everyone else was, or at least she hoped that would be the case. Where there was food, there was people. That was what one of her younger siblings had taught her.

And her siblings. What had happened to them?

Shaking her head, she pressed on, leaving the pod room and traveling downstairs. She still felt a little woozy and she contemplated returning upstairs, but after feeling her stomach and how her ribs jutted out, she decided that food would be the best. She had always said as much to her siblings whenever food was scarce and they wanted to do something other than eat.

Going down another flight of stairs, she arrived in what looked like a dining room. It was different to a normal hospital cafeteria, almost coming straight out of a lifestyle magazine. Hajime, whose hair looked like it had just been cut, Fuyuhiko, and Sonia were already there, smiling when they saw her. Next to them were two men – Naegi and Togami.

“Owari-san!” Sonia said, standing up. There were dried tear tracks on her face, but whatever emotional state she had been in seemed to have improved. “You’re awake! You look skinnier, though. Eat with us! Kirigiri-san is cooking in the kitchen.”

Akane grinned and slid into a seat beside Fuyuhiko. “Bring on the food!”

 

* * *

 

It was during the early hours of the morning that Souda Kazuichi woke up, every single one of his senses flaring up at once. The door to the pod opened just in time for him to cough. Although they had oxygen in those pods of theirs, it was definitely a lot better to breathe in proper air, even if they were inside. There were no windows to open, so he had to make do with what he had.

Once he had regained his breath, he looked at the other pods. They were astonishing pieces of machinery, and while he usually would have run up to the control panel to see how it worked, he knew that would be dangerous. He wanted everyone to wake up, not to be the cause of their untimely death.

Four pods were already open. He was the last one. An uncomfortable feeling rose to his chest and he looked at the ground. Even in this situation everyone else was before him. He knew it was just a matter of chance, but it felt like a giant middle finger from the universe.

Knowing staying inside the pod room would do him no good, he ventured out. The hallway was dark, but the moonlight streaming in from the windows was enough for him to see, his eyes already having adjusted from the darkness of the pod room. Downstairs was the only way to go, and so that was what he did. The lights were the same on that floor, but there was a bright light emitting from somewhere even further downstairs.

The dining room downstairs was nice, but that wasn’t what attracted his attention first. Fuyuhiko was sitting there, eyepatch on, a glass of water in his hands. He sent Kazuichi his usual smirk before scooting over, inviting the other to sit beside him.

Kazuichi sat beside Fuyuhiko, not too close, but close enough to see how bloodshot his eyes were. They were puffy, possibly from crying. It occurred to him that while the five of them had woken up without complication, there was only a small possibility that their friends would be the same. Everyone other than himself was waiting for someone else to wake up, dreading the news that they wouldn’t. It only made him feel lonelier.

Not knowing what else to say, he asked, “So, what’s up?”

“How do you know I didn’t just wake up like you?” Fuyuhiko’s voice had an edge to it, but it quickly faded away. “It’s just… Nightmares.”

Kazuichi couldn’t completely understand, at least not when he didn’t know what the nightmares were about, but everyone had experienced them. He knew how they felt and no one deserved to go through them, especially after the ordeal they had just been through.

Fuyuhiko raised his glass, a bitter smile on his face. “To waking up, I guess.”


	2. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's 3am but here, have a chapter.

Mioda Ibuki loved it when music started playing in her dreams. She was almost always able to recognize it, especially if it was one of her own songs, and even if it wasn’t she usually danced to it in her sleep anyway. This time it was a remix of a song, a fast paced version of something she didn’t recognize, but from what she could gather it was about cherry blossom trees. Whatever genre it was, it was great.

The next thing she heard was a voice. A female voice. “Hello? Sh, I’m in Ibuki-san’s hospital room. I know – I know, Fukawa-chan, but… If you want to know just call him. What do you mean he’s blocked your number? We all need each other’s – oh, whatever. I’ll talk to him, okay? Bye, Fukawa-chan!”

That seemed too clear to be a dream, and as soon as she realized that everything came crashing down at once. She was unable to properly suck in a breath. Air instead came out in short gasps, her eyes flying open to try and see what was causing this. All she saw was a white ceiling, no answers, and that made her panic more. Her hands fell around her neck as she desperately tried to search for the cause, but her skin was unblemished.

“Ibuki-san! You’re awake!”

The same voice she had heard earlier barely registered in her brain, but she was still able to look over to her right all the same. There was a girl with tanned skin and bright blue eyes looking down at her, expression a mixture of shock and concern. It wasn’t anyone she knew, in any case.

She tried to speak to the other girl, attempt to get her point across, but she couldn’t speak without hurting her throat. The girl seemed to get the message regardless. “Oh! Um, I’m no good at this… It’s not real, okay? It’s going to be hard to breathe for a little while but a lot of it is panic, or at least that’s what Kirigiri-chan said. Just breathe in and out.”

It may not have been the best advice, but it was the only advice she had. Using her nose instead of her throat, she breathed in and out, slowly calming down. A weight was lifted off the base of her neck and she felt herself relax considerably.

Now that the shock was over, “So, um, who are you, stranger-chan?”

The girl blinked. “You recover quickly, don’t you? Well, I’m Asahina Aoi. I’m a member of the Future Foundation who’s been in charge of looking after you and filling you in on what happened.”

Ibuki scrunched her nose. “Huh? Future Foundation?” She gave a dramatic gasp, sitting up in her bed. “Aren’t you the people who took away our memories?!”

“Uh, well, yes, but there’s a long story involved with that. We had a good reason, so would you please listen to what I have to say?” Asahina asked, sitting down beside Ibuki.

Ibuki saluted. “Listening!”

And so Asahina’s story began. She told Ibuki what exactly had happened to her and why her throat felt the way it did before launching into everything else. Ibuki wanted to interject at various points, but Asahina was speaking too quickly, and she wanted to know everything there was to know. Any and all of her questions were answered at the end anyway.

“So that’s what happened,” Asahina finished, taking a sip out of her water bottle. “Does that make sense?”

Ibuki didn’t respond for a few seconds. It was a lot to take in, but she managed to follow it. She was the queen of being fast paced, after all. “Yep, yep, yep, Ibuki’s got it! It’s just so _weird_. Am I gonna have breathing problems for the rest of forever and ever? ‘Cause I need to breathe to sing, ya know!”

Asahina fiddled with the water bottle’s cap. “Kirigiri-chan’s been researching nursing with Hagakure’s mum – she’s a retired nurse, by the way – but she still doesn’t have all the knowledge to know for sure. Tsumiki-san isn’t awake yet so we can’t get her opinion, but Kirigiri-chan said to take it easy for at least a week or two. You can play music whenever you like! Just make sure you don’t scream or hurt your throat, okay?”

Ibuki pouted but said, “Fine, if Ibuki must, Ibuki must. But first! Where are the others? I have to make my grand entrance! And then we can party!”

Asahina grinned and stood up. “Well, they’re downstairs having lunch, as a matter of fact. Just take it easy, alright?”

“Ah, yes.” Ibuki clasped her hands together and bowed her head. “I am the master of taking it easy.”

Seconds later, she was skipping down the hallway and sliding down the bannister to the dining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand that was Ibuki. I figured she would accidentally overdo it at first because she's, well, she's Ibuki.
> 
> In Consciousness she had a living relative who was one of her previous band members, something I never really clarified but was implied. I bring this up because I think when she wakes up the reality of everything would take a while to sink in. Only after that would she worry about those close to her, but even then she would cover it up with her Ibuki-ness. I wrote her as she appears without too many underlying traits because she's very expressive and you know what she's feeling a lot of the time, at least on the outside. Her characterization is sometimes more difficult for me because she's so out there, but I like a challenge!


	3. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I could make so many fire puns but I won't.

Hanamura Teruteru loved to dream about his mother and the rest of his family. It gave him a sense of comfort, like a warm blanket that had just come out of the dryer being laid upon him. His mother used to do that to him and his siblings during the winter when the temperature would be too cold at night. She would sing them all to sleep until they drifted off one by one. It was like a tradition.

That was exactly what he dreamed about while comatose. The image was clear and he could practically feel the blanket’s warmth. Then the picture changed to the next morning, yet it was still warm inside, and his mother scooped him up in her arms and carried him away. They were laughing, joking about something he couldn’t hear as they woke up his brother and sister. It was the setting of a picture perfect family.

Then the temperature rose drastically and the room burst into flames. Nothing else changed. The flames were simply _there_ , not affecting them at all, everyone going about their day as usual. The image began to melt and he started to panic. He couldn’t lose his family, let them be devoured by the flames. Even if they looked as normal as they could, they were slipping from his mind and he didn’t want that. He couldn’t stand that. He needed all of them with him.

He woke up screaming.

It was a strangled sound, his voice not having been used in so long, but it was loud enough to draw someone inside. He couldn’t tell who it was as his eyes were still closed, his body overheating like he had taken a dip in a pool of lava. Someone was touching his shoulder and he screamed even louder as the place stung. Whoever it was dropped their hand and ran out of the room. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or to call the person back.

A minute or so later, the person returned and placed something on Teruteru’s forehead. Something damp. It was probably a cloth or something of that nature. Whatever it was, it felt nice, and he could feel himself cooling down.

When he felt ready enough, he opened his eyes. His first thought was that he had died and gone to heaven. A beautiful woman stood over him, her lavender hair framing her face perfectly, her expression one of concern. Even though his breath was still ragged and he hadn’t completely recovered, he couldn’t help himself.

“Hello, beautiful lady. Do you come here often?”

The gaze of concern shifted to one of exasperation. “Please refrain from flirting when you’ve just woken up from a coma.”

He dropped the charade at the word ‘coma’. “Huh? Coma?”

The woman nodded. “Yes, you were comatose for quite a while. It’s a long story, but I’ll have to tell you sooner or later. It’s up to you whether you want to know now or later on when you’re feeling better.”

Although some more rest sounded nice, Teruteru wanted to know why he had been in a coma of all things. “Please, tell me now, uh…?”

“Kirigiri Kyouko.” The woman sat in a chair beside him and he turned his head, following her movements. “First off, what is the last thing you remember?”

The last thing he remembered? That would be a hard thing to –

And then it returned. His memories of the classroom, the island, the party, the _murder_. The last thing he remembered made his skin feel like it was on fire and he began hyperventilating again. He didn’t stop until Kirigiri placed her hand on the washcloth. The human contact, even if her hands were covered by gloves, was appreciated.

Once he had recovered, he spoke. “The last thing I remember is, well, my execution… The feeling of it, anyway.”

Kirigiri took her hand of his forehead, wiping her glove against her skirt. “Hm, where to begin. The reason all of you were on the island to begin with was because you were in a simulation. All of you were members of Super High School Level Despair and that’s why we, the Future Foundation, took all of your memories away. I won’t go into details, but SHSL Despair was a group that caused the end of the world, and all of you were the last survivors of said group. Many higher ups wanted to be rid of you for good, but we wanted to rehabilitate you so you could return to normal life. Everything was going well until we found a bug in the system.”

“A bug?” Teruteru frowned. “Wait, you don’t mean…”

“Monokuma, yes.” Kirigiri’s voice was bitter. “When you all agreed to participate in the program I was sceptical, but then I realized why. You had planted the bug in the system to cause your own despair. You remembered nothing of Hope’s Peak and the Monokuma AI took advantage of that. The plus was that when you all died in the simulation, you were only sleeping in the real world, hence why you were comatose. Do you follow so far?”

Teruteru let his brain process the words before he spoke. Part of him was still waking up. “Yes, I think so.” A question nagged at him and he couldn’t help but ask it. “So… So does that mean that Togami-kun isn’t really dead either? I didn’t really kill him?”

Kirigiri smiled softly. It was only a small lift of the lips, but it was enough to comfort him. “That is the case, yes. He is still comatose right now, but he is alive.”

That was a load of Teruteru’s shoulders. He breathed out, his whole body relaxing at the news. He felt horrible for killing the other man, and not just because he had been punished. “That’s good. I’m sure there’s more to the story, right?”

“Yes, there is,” Kirigiri said. “But right now I think you should get some rest. You look like you need it. I’ll inform the others of your recovery.”

Before he could ask who she meant by ‘the others’, she was out the door and his eyes were closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Teruteru! His character is actually one of my favourites to write because while yes, he is a complete horndog, he's such a family orientated person, and people often forget about that side of him. I hope you enjoyed it regardless!


	4. Seven and a half, Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chillest conversation about death ever.

_“Do you need some help, Tsumiki-san?”_

_“U-Um, I’m s-sorry! I don’t know you…”_

It was a beautiful thing, really.

_“I’m Enoshima Junko-chan! Those people can’t get away with bullying you, you know.”_

_“But… I like it when they pay attention to me.”_

It was like the embrace of a loved one after a physical altercation.

_“Huh? That’s not a good thing, you know. Hey… I tell you what. How about we go and get some food at the cafeteria and I’ll protect you from those bullies. Just me and you, whaddya say?”_

_“Y-You would do that? With me?”_

_“Duh, of course! You seem awesome!”_

Tsumiki Mikan loved her beloved, hence the title. Everything she did was for her beloved. She lived and breathed her beloved. Her beloved was the one who kept her safe from all the evils in the world. She wanted to reunite with her again, feel her loving embrace and do her bidding.

That was why she was extremely disappointed when she opened her eyes and saw Naegi Makoto.

She knew who he was, of course. He was one of the previous classmates of her beloved. His hope was disgustingly strong and her beloved had always complained about it. He had been the one to cause her beloved’s death and, since he had survived the first game of mutual killing, she knew she was also alive somehow, even if she had been executed.

“Naegi- _kun_ ,” she drawled, relishing in the fear on his face.

Instead of answering her, he turned to someone she couldn’t see. “She’s still got the despair disease, but it’s not locked in place, so it should be able to be cured without the Neo World Program.”

Fear – no, _despair_ – tugging at her heart, she whipped her head around to see Kirigiri Kyouko, the detective who had found all the clues to assure her beloved’s death. Hatred clouded her vision. How dare this woman, who had stuck her nose in where it didn’t belong, stand next to her bedside. It should have been her beloved, the two of them together forever in the afterlife.

With a loud sound that resembled both a squeal and a growl, she rolled off the bed, kicking Naegi’s shins in the process. She didn’t have time to feel satisfied about the pained noise he made. She had to get out of here and fast, before they tried to turn her back to their side.

She had barely left the room when she felt someone pull her back. While she had anticipated someone may have gripped her arms or wrists, she hadn’t expected someone to grab her hair. The shock immobilized her for a bit and she staggered, falling back into someone’s chest.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

The voice of Togami Byakuya was easy to recognize. He was stronger than he looked, though she supposed all that time spent in a post-apocalyptic world would make him stronger. It was a shame, really. She had preferred him when he was weaker.

She turned her head as much as she could, giving him her best blank stare. “Let me go, Togami-kun.”

Togami only smirked. “Go.”

“I would if you would _let me_!” she screeched.

She realized too late that the word wasn’t for her. The last thing she remembered before crumpling to the floor was the familiar “ _Gahahaha_!” descending from the ceiling and the prick of the needle in her skin.

 

* * *

 

When Mikan woke up once more, she was more confused than anything else. She was feeling groggy and a little nauseous, and in any other situation she would have been able to diagnose herself, but right now she had no idea where she was. All she knew was that it was night, judging by the lack of proper light in the room, and there was someone sitting next to her, asleep.

This time she didn’t recognize Naegi Makoto at all. She simply tilted her head and blinked. Who was this person? How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was everyone contracting the despair disease and being quarantined at the hospital. How long had it been since then?

Naegi stirred, his eyes fluttering open. When he saw Mikan, he sat up straighter. “Tsumiki-san! You’re awake! How do you feel?”

Not expecting the interest in her welfare, she only just managed to stutter out, “I-I’m fine! Um, th-thank you for asking. I’m a bit tired and a… and a bit nauseous, but I’m fine!”

Naegi seemed to relax as she spoke, a look of relief flashing across his face. “That’s good.” His face hardened. “I suppose you want to know what happened.”

“Yes, please!” She quickly caught herself. “Well, I mean, only if you want to tell me. Only if I’m worthy of being told. P-Please don’t force yourself!”

He returned her comments with a soft smile. “Of course you’re worth telling, Tsumiki-san. It’s going to be a lot of information, so please bear with me.”

Mikan made herself comfortable against the pillows as he launched into his explanation. She listened attentively with wide eyes as he went on and on, her eyes beginning to water as he explained what she had done to Ibuki and Hiyoko. He insisted that it wasn’t her fault, but she still felt guilty. She was supposed to be the medical practitioner of the group, the one to keep them all safe, and instead she had betrayed them in the worst possible way. She was disgusting.

But there was hope. When he was finished, she said, “S-So… Everyone’s still alive? Meaning I can… I can make it up to Ibuki-san and Saionji-san?”

“Of course,” Naegi said. He looked out the door and into the hallway. “I think the others have just finished dinner, so I’ll send Ibuki-chan up to you. She woke up before you, but Saionji-san is still comatose.”

Mikan nodded meekly and watched as Naegi left, disappearing as he rounded the corner. It was then that she began to panic. What if Ibuki hated her for what had happened? What if she never wanted to speak to her again? What about everyone else? They were probably disgusted by her. The thought made her cry, but she knew she shouldn’t have been too upset. She deserved it.

“Good nomnomnoming!” someone called from the doorway.

It was Ibuki, just as Naegi had promised. She didn’t look too different, though her hair was a bit longer and she wasn’t wearing as much makeup. Other than a few scars here and there, she was the same old Ibuki. At least she wasn’t scowling. That was a good sign.

“H-Hi, Mioda-san,” Mikan greeted, looking down.

Ibuki took the seat Naegi had previously occupied. “It’s still Ibuki-chan, Mikan-chan! How are ya feeling? Better? I bet you feel better, huh?”

Mikan smiled softly. “Yes, I do, thank you.” She hesitated for a few seconds, weighing her options before speaking again. “Um, Ibuki-chan… Do you hate me? F-For what I… I mean I…”

“You mean how you strangled me?” Mikan winced at the words even though Ibuki had said them so casually. “Nah, ‘course not! You were sick and under the despair disease, right? It wasn’t your fault! Besides, who knew you had that much strength! Like damn! But we’re still friends! Ibuki wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Warmth spread through Mikan’s chest. “Friends? Really?”

Ibuki puffed out her chest proudly. “Of course! The best of friends, Mikan-chan!”

Mikan sighed in relief. Perhaps recovery would be possible, even for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Mikan's! I contemplated having her run around in her despair version for a while, but considering she was physically weak I didn't really see her going very far. Also, Ibuki would probably be really forgiving because not only is it in her nature but it wasn't really Mikan's fault as she wasn't herself at the time.
> 
> And yes, Genocider Syo was dangling off the ceiling with a tranquilizer in her hand. She's that much of a boss.


	5. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mentions of self harm.

Tanaka Gundam felt like he had been through Tartarus and back. His body ached, particularly his chest, but everything else was bearable. Once he established that, his mind wandered elsewhere: the Four Dark Devas.

Wait, no, they were safe. They hadn’t died along with him. He could rest easy, knowing the others would take good care of them. Not as good as him, the Supreme Ruler of Darkness, mind you, but that was alright.

He opened his eyes to scan the afterlife only to find he wasn’t in the afterlife at all, unless the afterlife looked like a hospital. A white ceiling and white walls that looked darker in the moonlight, the soft beeps of various machines reaching his ears. If he had to guess, he would say he was in the Jabberwock Island hospital, but that couldn’t be possible, even if they did look similar.

What was happening?

He started to sit up only to stop abruptly when he felt something float down from his chest to his lap. It was a folded piece of paper, black writing visible. A letter. Lying down once more, he opened the note and began to read, straining his eyes in the darkness.

_Tanaka-san,_

_If you are reading this, I have fallen asleep and unfortunately was not able to witness you waking up. Do not fret! The Dark Devas are in my care and are missing you very much. You are probably very confused as to what happened, so please allow me to explain!_

The letter than gave a detailed description of everything that had transpired after his execution. His eyes grew wider with each sentence, hardly believing what he was reading. Yet he did believe it. Perhaps he didn’t remember all of the things he had done, but he had heard of stranger things. He had to take a minute to process it all before reading the letter’s conclusion.

_I will be in the chair beside your bed, so wake me up when you are ready! I promise I will not mind. In fact I would love to speak with you._

He turned his head towards his bedside. Sonia was certainly there, curled into a ball so she could fit in the chair. Her hair was completely down now, no hair bow in sight, and she was snuggling with something in her arms – the Dark Devas!

Although the letter had told him to wake her up, he hesitated. He didn’t want to disturb her, especially when she looked so sweet and the Dark Devas were using her for warmth, but at the same time he wanted to speak to her.

His hand hovered above her shoulder for a few seconds before he shook her gently. “My Lady of Darkness.”

The Dark Devas woke up at the movement, springing into action and practically leaping onto the bed to snuggle up to him. Sonia remained asleep, however. “Not now, Souda-san.”

At the mention of the mechanic, Gundam scowled. He tried again, louder this time. “Lady Sonia.”

This time she did wake up, sitting up abruptly. She rubbed her eyes for a moment before she spotted him. Her mouth widened into a grin. “Tanaka-san! You are awake!” The grin dropped slightly. “Are you feeling alright? Should I wake Tsumiki-san?”

“No, no, that is not necessary, Lady of Darkness,” he said. “The blood of the demon is causing only a small amount of pain. His sacrifice was not enough to wound me.”

The proper grin returned. “That is wonderful, Tanaka-san!” Her gaze softened a little. “You can just call me Sonia, if you like. Formal titles are for formal occasions, are they not?”

He smiled softly, rubbing the fabric of his scarf between his fingers. “Sonia.”

Sonia scooted closer to the bed as the Dark Devas ran up his shoulders, nuzzling his cheeks. He could feel the relief radiating from them. Part of him even wanted to cry for them, wondering what pain they must have gone through without him there. At least they’d had Sonia to look after them. She was probably the only person he could completely trust with them.

“They are happy to see you,” Sonia said with a small giggle, leaning on the bed. Her eyes clouded. “So am I. I missed you.”

She crossed her legs, showing him the bandages on her thighs. His eyes widened in alarm. “Lady of – Sonia, what happened to your legs? Who inflicted these wounds upon you? They will feel the wrath of –”

“Gundam.” Sonia took his hand in both of hers. He tensed but didn’t let go. “No one did this to me. I… I did this to myself.”

Gundam stared at her, mouth slightly parted in surprise. “Why would you do this to yourself?”

Her eyes moved from his face to the bed, a pained expression on her face. “It was a punishment to myself from myself. After everything I have done to Novoselic I deserve the pain, yet it is still nothing compared to what my people felt. I am a traitor to my own country. I failed them as a princess and a leader. I no longer deserve the title of Super High School Level Princess.” Tears began to fall from her eyes.

Pain gripped Gundam’s heart. “Sonia…” He wasn’t good at comforting words or even regular socialization, but he didn’t want her to be so down on herself. He had to try. “You are the Lady of Darkness. You are a kind and compassionate person who transcends mortality. We have all strayed off the wrong path at one point or another. We are not to blame for all we have done and you should definitely not mark yourself with your sins.” Taking a deep breath, he took her hand gently. If anyone could stand the poison within him, it would be her. “You are worth more than that.”

Sonia looked at him, eyes watering, but she was smiling. “Thank you, Gundam.”

The hamsters hopped off his shoulders as she flung her arms around his neck. He stiffened at the contact but relaxed as he felt her warmth. Slowly returning the embrace, he buried his nose in her hair. He didn’t care about maintaining his ‘dark lord’ image in that moment.

Both of them were safe and that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SHIPPING TRASH I'M SORRY but I'm not really sorry, not really. Gundam's gentle side is so important to me and I just had to show it here. We don't know a whole lot about his past and I didn't really find a spot to put any of it in here, but I hope you liked it nonetheless!


	6. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I almost forgot the number for the chapter title, hot damn.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

“Quick, get him to the ER! Onto the operation table, c’mon!”

Nidai Nekomaru’s left arm ached and he couldn’t breathe. He tried to cough, but he couldn’t. There was a buzzing in his ears and others were running around him, their feet tapping on the floor. The bed began to move as something was positioned on his face and he fell asleep again within seconds.

When he woke up again, he was greeted by the daylight streaming in through the window and the sounds of someone moving about. He had to blink a few times to adjust, and when he did he was greeted by a familiar sight.

“Owari, you know you shouldn’t do that in a hospital room.”

Akane was stretching and practicing her kicks. She wasn’t near any of the hospital equipment, but he knew that she would often underestimate her own power, so it was very possible that she would slip up and break something.

Hearing him, she turned around and grinned. “Old Man Nidai! You’re awake!”

It was her words that made him more aware of where he was. He was supposed to be dead, wasn’t he? The last thing he remembered before the pain and the beeping was him and Gundam battling to the death. So how had he ended up here? Had he somehow won and he couldn’t remember it?

“Wait, what happened?” he asked. “What am I doing here?”

Akane’s face turned serious and even a little solemn. It surprised him. He was so used to seeing her energetic and happy that he hadn’t thought of her feeling anything else. “I… I’m bad at explaining it, but we weren’t really on an island. We were in this computer based thing and our memories were taken from us ‘cause we did some crappy stuff and…” She sighed. “I don’t know how to put it. Someone else will have to explain it to you. The point is that none of us are really dead and we’re older than we were on the island. We’re about twenty, twenty-one. Somethin’ like that.”

That made Nekomaru stop. His heart condition had ensured that he wouldn’t live to see twenty, or at least that was what his doctor had told him. Perhaps he had been wrong?

If that was the case, then, “What happened earlier? I was half awake.”

Akane hopped on the bed, crossing her legs by Nekomaru’s feet. “Your heart problem was back and you woke up because of it, so you had to be operated on. I dunno the details, I wasn’t there, but Souda made arms and a chest just for you!”

Eyebrow raised, Nekomaru let the bedsheets fall down. Sure enough, his arms and chest were now made of metal. It was like he was a robot all over again, but this time he still had most of his original limbs. He would have to ask Kazuichi how it worked later.

“You get to give a long and happy life now!” Akane said, beaming. They stayed like that for a few minutes until the grin slipped off her face. “Also…”

She hesitated. That was unlike her. “What is it?”

“I wanted to say thank you for saving my life. Twice – no, three times,” Akane said. She looked down and if Nekomaru didn’t know any better he could have sworn she was about to cry. “I never said it and then you died.”

He gave a boisterous laugh. “There’s no need to apologize, Owari. I’d do it again, even if this time I didn’t get a second or third chance at life. A coach needs to protect his athletes. You know I’ve always said that.”

Akane frowned at him. “That’s stupid. And if anything, I owe you!”

They sat in silence for a minute or so. Nekomaru closed his eyes, though he knew without seeing that Akane was fidgeting. She was never the type of person to stay still. Then again, she was never the kind to stay quiet either. He was witnessing a new side of her today.

Then she said, “I kinda understand where you’re comin’ from, though.”

He opened his eyes. She was smiling, though it was softer than usual. “I’d do the same thing for my kid siblings.” The smile faltered once more. “If they’re still alive.”

“Akane –”

“But let’s not talk about that right now!” she said. “I’m trying not to think about that at the moment. No one really knows where our relatives are, but the Future Foundation – they’re the good guys, not the bad guys – are working to find them.”

It was quick for Nekomaru to find something else to talk about. “So if we’re not really dead, I’m guessing some others have woken up.”

“Yep!” The usual grin was back and Nekomaru felt satisfied. “There were five survivors to this whole thing, including me, and we all woke up at the same time. Or around about. Within a good few hours, anyway. It was months later that Ibuki-chan woke up, and then Hanamura and Tsumiki and Tanaka woke up a week or so ago. That’s all so far.”

Nekomaru sat up properly this time, making a mental note to congratulate Gundam for a good duel later on. “Well, for now I need to do something.”

“What?”

He made a face. “I have to shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Nidai is a cyborg. Cue the Teen Titans references.
> 
> We never really saw Akane say thank you to him for saving her life three times, so I needed to fix that. Nidai is the kind of person who thinks of himself before others so he would be more concerned with everyone else's well-being than his own and I hope that showed in this chapter.


	7. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I REGRET NOTHING.

Pekoyama Peko knew she was dead as soon as she saw the young mistress.

_“Welcome to the land of the kinda dead,” the younger girl greeted. “I’d come over there and hug you, but I’m stuck in the land of the completely and utterly fucking dead.”_

_Peko was confused. There was no logical way that she could still be alive. She had died protecting her young master, multiple swords skewering her body until she no longer breathed. There was a pang in her stomach as she thought of him. Hopefully he had survived the carnage._

_As if reading her thoughts, the young mistress spoke again. “Don’t worry, bro’s not dead. He’s alive, thanks to you. I’m just a figment of your imagination, by the way, but what I’m about to say to you is gonna help you in reality, you got that?”_

_Although she still didn’t quite understand, she recognized the commanding tone of the young mistress’s voice. “I understand, young mistress.”_

_The blonde rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Peko. You’re like my older sister. You don’t have to call me that, ‘kay? But anyway, what I was gonna say: you have a second chance at life. Don’t waste it. You know other members of the clan and I were making bets on when you and bro would get together? Not everyone there saw you as a tool, Peko. I didn’t and bro certainly doesn’t. Oh, and if you two ever get married, I’m totes gonna be there in spirit as a bridesmaid, got it?”_

_Flashing a bright smile and a peace sign, the girl faded and Peko woke up._

It was night. The curtains were closed, but a small sliver of moonlight shone through regardless. That was all she was able to see before the pain got the most of her and she let out a small gasp. Her entire body felt sore, her abdomen more than anything else, but it was nothing she couldn’t live through. She’d had worse injuries.

Once the pain had subsided a little, she focused on the room once more. It was a standard hospital room. They’d had an infirmary back at the dojo, a simple medical bay instead of an actual hospital, but it looked somewhat like her room.

She was about to get up and explore her surroundings when she realized something – no, _someone_ – was holding onto her. There was something warm in her hand, and it didn’t take long to figure out what.

Fuyuhiko was lying with his head on her bed, the rest of his body awkwardly positioned in a chair. He was holding her hand, his fingers entwined with hers. He looked so angelic when he was sleeping that she had to smile. The back of her mind told her that tool like her didn’t deserve to gaze upon the young master in such a way.

She remembered what the young mistress had said and flushed. She had been right, of course. Fuyuhiko had said as much to her before her execution.

_“I… I never wanted a tool! I just wanted you! Only you!”_

If only she had known that before then. It wouldn’t have changed her desire to protect him at all costs, but it would have been nice to know.

“…Peko…”

For a second, Peko thought Fuyuhiko was waking up, but his eyes remained closed. He began to move in his sleep, his head turning. His eyebrows knitted together as he began to call out in his sleep.

“N-No! Peko, don’t! Don’t leave!”

Fear gripped Peko with an iron fist, but she was quick to act. Whenever Fuyuhiko had experienced nightmares as a small child, she would shake him awake and calm him down before letting him sleep once more, guarding him for the rest of the night. She shook the boy awake, being as gentle as possible.

“Young master, please wake up.”

Her voice was raspy, but the message seemed to work anyway as Fuyuhiko’s eyes flew open and he started up. He breathed heavily and clutched his hand against his chest, the other still in Peko’s. He was facing away from her, towards the wall instead, and so she waited until he spotted her himself. She didn’t want to scare him.

When he had caught his breath, he turned towards her and jumped back. “Peko?! You’re awake!”

She smiled as he leaped onto the wide bed, but it faded when the moonlight reached his eyepatch. She rose her hand but didn’t dare touch it. “Young master… Your eye…”

Anger began to run through her veins. How could she hurt him? She didn’t deserve to live after hurting the one person she was supposed to protect. Tears began to sting her eyes and she hastily blinked them away, her thoughts on her execution. She wasn’t upset about dying, but about the injuries Fuyuhiko must have sustained.

Fuyuhiko quickly grabbed her hands, making her look at him. “Peko, no, this isn’t your fault.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he launched into an explanation about everything that had happened after her execution. She was incredibly proud of him for discarding his proud nature to help everyone, but the feeling was short lived once the rest of the story came out. Even though she had asked everyone to stop the mutual killing, it had continued. Not only that, but they had been the cause of the world’s destruction. It made her feel sick.

“My eye… I did this to myself when we were brainwashed by that bitch. It’s not your fault, Peko. Please,” he said. “I’m just so happy you’re awake.”

Then he hugged her. There was a bit of pain as he curled around her, any and all of his shame discarded as he held her tightly. He was still smaller than her, but he had definitely grown, showing his age. She hesitated before returning the gesture, relishing in their reunion before the more logical part of her brain told her to stop. She didn’t want to let him go. This time it wasn’t because she felt obligated to but because she wanted to.

And for the second time in her life, she cried.

Fuyuhiko was crying as well. She could feel it on her hospital gown, but she didn’t dare stop him. She had comforted him many times in the past and now would be no exception. He must have noticed her tears too, as he looked up at her with wide eyes.

“Peko, you… You’re crying.”

She let herself smile. “It’s because I’m happy, young master.”

He frowned. “Don’t call me that anymore. I’m just Fuyuhiko. Forget about being a tool. You’re not my property, okay?” He buried his head in the crook of her neck. “You’re no one’s fucking property. You’re a person, a human being, and don’t you dare let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Fuyuhiko.” The word was full of apprehension, the sound of her testing the waters before diving in. “I… I can try. It will take a long time to get used to it, I’m afraid.”

“I don’t care how long it takes,” Fuyuhiko said. His lips were against her neck, the feeling of them moving causing her to shiver. “As long as it happens.”

Her tears stopped, but she didn’t dare let go. His voice reached her again. “I know you only just woke up, so it’s been what? A few minutes since you’ve seen me? I’ve waited for you for months and…” He took a deep breath. “I want to tell you something.”

He let go and she had to resist the instinct to pull him back. “What is it?”

“First you have to promise me that you’ll respond to this with what you feel, okay? I don’t want you to answer based on what you think you’re obligated to do,” he said, looking into her eyes.

She blinked. “Yes, of course.”

He swallowed. “Peko, I… _Fuck_ , I imagined doing this so many times and now…” Clearing his throat, he tried again. “Peko… I need you to live. And I don’t mean just physically with you being my bodyguard and all that… I need you, Peko. I love you.”

A warm feeling spread through Peko’s body, a small smile appearing on her face. She felt like she wanted to cry once again. She hadn’t realized how much she had longed for this moment, having constantly forced it to the back of her mind. Now that it was here, she couldn’t do that, nor did she want to.

She took his hands just as he had done before. “I… I love you too.”

He looked shocked. “Really? You’re not just saying that? And you know what I mean, right? I don’t mean just like a member of my family or something.”

“I know,” she said. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Peko had never seen Fuyuhiko smile as big as he did then. He hugged her tightly and this time she showed no reluctance in doing the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M KUZUPEKO TRASH DON'T TOUCH ME.
> 
> With Peko, I think her actions and thoughts contradict each other. For example, the reason she was executed instead of Fuyuhiko was ultimately because she had involved herself, not because she was acting as a tool. Her instincts surpass her 'tool' thoughts more than she realizes. As for Fuyuhiko, I had him say the three big words so soon after she woke up because he's wanted to say it for so long and the wait was probably so agonizing for him. He didn't want to lose her again without saying it, so he was in a rush to get it out.
> 
> Also, I didn't give the sister a name because I wanted to leave that to your imagination. She is the captain of the Kuzupeko ship and you better believe it.


	8. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: excessive violence, mainly choking and head trauma.
> 
> Please note that Mahiru has woken up between the events of the last chapter and this chapter. If you want more information, you can find it at the very first chapter of Consciousness.

The first thing that Komaeda Nagito did when he woke up was panic.

He was meant to be dead, wasn’t he? A ghost, perhaps, or just a floating mind in a sea of darkness. He hadn’t anticipated the white ceiling or the murmurs coming from downstairs. The back of his mind recognized the voices but he couldn’t place them and he wasn’t sure why. That unnerved him even more.

His breaths became laboured and his eyes widened. The panic rose to his chest and he let out a scream.

Footsteps could be heard across the floor as someone burst into his room. He looked to his side, grinning maniacally as he saw Ibuki standing there with wide eyes. More footsteps followed and Peko and Fuyuhiko appeared in the doorway as well.

Sitting up abruptly, Nagito slid out from under the sheets, paying no attention to the IV drips in his arms. He clicked his fingers as Fuyuhiko backed away and Ibuki scampered to the other side of the room, presumably to avoid his gaze. Peko stood protectively in front of her young master.

“Good morning, Kuzuryuu-kun, Pekoyama-san.” His voice was low but firm. “How are you today?”

Fuyuhiko frowned. “That’s something we should be asking you.”

Nagito laughed. “I feel fine. I feel amazing! But I also feel like I should not be here. I should not be alive. The despair and the hope are mixing together.” He was drooling now. He could feel it. “Such a sad life. Do you not feel it, Kuzuryuu-kun? The beautiful hope prevailing despair!”

The gang leader looked like he was about to faint. He touched Peko’s arm and said, “I’ll get Tsumiki, will you be okay here?”

Peko nodded and he left, rushing out the door. Nagito turned his head towards her. It was a slow movement and to anyone else it may have been considered scary, but Peko was a woman of patience and bravery. He had to admire her calm demeanour.

“Pekoyama-san, how wonderful it must be to return to your loved one’s side,” he said with a grin. He took a step closer, yet she still didn’t waver. “I can imagine it must be a relief to see him. The hope it brought must have been extraordinary!”

“Get the fuck away from her!”

He turned back towards the doorway. Fuyuhiko had returned, Mikan by his side. She looked nervous but determined, nothing like how she had seemed before her execution, yet that was all Nagito could think about. The only thing he saw when he looked at her was her despair-filled eyes as she pretended to care for him.

Mikan walked over to him, caution and apprehension in her every move, and it made him forget all about Peko. He raised his arms and greeted her the only way his mind currently knew how. “Hello, Tsumiki-san. Have you paid for what you have done?”

Ibuki made a noise behind him. She was probably foaming at the mouth. He paid no attention to her, keeping his steely gaze on Mikan, who looked like she wanted to disappear.

“Komaeda-san, please let me help you,” she said. She stepped forward.

That was her first mistake.

Before the logical side of his mind could tell him to stop, he was holding Mikan by the throat. Someone screamed. Her eyes went wide and he knew he shouldn’t be doing this, he knew he should stop and apologize and let her nurse him back to health, but the other side of him could only remember the third trial and the way she had fallen into despair. That was the thought that kept her pinned against the wall with his hand around her neck.

He drowned out all the voices that reached his ears, only somewhat aware of the sword at his throat. Everyone’s eyes on him only made him laugh louder. Did they truly think he cared if they killed him? They could do whatever they wanted to him as long as it gave them hope. If he could be a stepping stone for them all, well, that would be the best gift he could ever give them.

“Oi, Komaeda!”

Something clicked in his brain and he let Mikan go. He didn’t care that she was now on the floor, struggling for air as Ibuki ran over to her. His attention was now entirely on Mahiru, who was standing near the doorway with her hands clenched at her sides. He recognized what she had done: she had taken his attention from Mikan to herself in the _hope_ that he would stop. The thought made him smile.

“Koizumi-san! How is your hope today? How are you after you practically helped commit a murder? Did it bring you hope? Did Sato-san bring you hope?”

Part of him didn’t know what he was saying anymore, but it definitely had an effect on Mahiru, who stumbled into the doorframe. “What… What are you talking about, Komaeda?!”

His mood shifted and his eyes glazed over. He was no longer smiling. “Do you want me to remind you, Koizumi-san?”

“Remind me?” Fear flickered in the photographer’s eyes, but there was also something else there: hope. Beautiful, beautiful hope. The thought made him smile again.

Grabbing Mahiru by the sleeves, he dragged her forwards and raised his head to the ceiling. “Despair is only to be held by trash like myself. I will murder the despair and bring forth the hope! I will be the Super High School Level Hope! I am the embodiment of true hope!”

With that declaration, he shoved Mahiru’s head into the wall. That was how she had been murdered, how her old friend had been murdered. It was only fitting that the despair should leave her this way. He ignored her desperate yells and pleas for help, knowing she would stop once she knew he was trying to help. She had to understand.

He heard Fuyuhiko say, “If Hinata was here he’d know what to do.”

As soon as he heard Hajime’s name, he retracted his hand and turned around, once again ignoring his victim as she was rendered unconscious. He locked eyes with Fuyuhiko. “I don’t understand. Hinata-kun? Where is Hinata-kun?”

Fuyuhiko and Peko exchanged glances before the former spoke up again. “He’s… He’s not here… He’s in Towa City, helping out the Future Foundation over there.”

Peko’s eyes flickered between Nagito and Fuyuhiko, licking her lips before saying, “Komaeda, if you let Tsumiki-san help you, Hinata will be very pleased with you.”

“Hinata-kun… He wants me to get better?” Nagito didn’t believe it. “He wants me to live?”

Fuyuhiko seemed to catch on, nodding slowly. “Yes, he does. But you need to sit your ass back in bed and wait for him to come back, okay?”

Nagito nodded numbly and returned to his bed, pulling the sheets over him and letting his eyes close. There was silence in the room before everything exploded all at once, people bustling around him and moving the two unconscious girls away. He paid no attention to any of it. It didn’t matter to him anymore.

He just wanted Hajime to come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, THAT was a wild ride.
> 
> If Komaeda seems more disturbed to you than in the game, that was on purpose. While the simulation could wipe out his memories and replace them, they couldn't change the actual makeup of his brain. This means that his dementia is still prominent and hasn't changed along with the rest of his memories. Basically, the evolution of his dementia could not be changed with Neo World Program, and when he woke up he wasn't used to such prominent symptoms, hence why he was a bit jarring. I hope that makes sense!
> 
> Part of this scene is in Consciousness as well, and part of me wondered whether I should put this in since it was shown, but there are a lot of gaps from Komaeda's side that I thought needed to be filled and Mahiru's POV in Consciousness couldn't provide that. Also, Komaeda's attachment to Hinata can be viewed as platonic or romantic. All he feels at the moment is a pull and endearment.


	9. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Background information from Consciousness once again: Hinata, Twogami, and Hiyoko all had to go into the simulation again. Think of island mode with just those three.
> 
> Also, the change of pronouns a little way into the chapter was intentional. I think the imposter changes pronouns depending on who they are posing as. It's a little headcanon of mine.

The imposter wasn’t too perturbed when they woke up in a hospital bed. They had been through the simulation once again, starting where they had left of with only Hajime and Hiyoko to accompany them. Hajime had warned them that this would happen and so they weren’t surprised in the slightest.

What did surprise them was the smiling face of Ibuki looming above their own.

They needed to become Togami Byakuya again. He said, “Mioda, it isn’t wise nor polite to hover above someone like that.”

Ibuki let out an exaggerated gasp, hands on her face. “He speaks!”

“In one ear and out the other,” he mumbled. Clearing his throat, he straightened up, adjusting the pillows so he was comfortable. “I trust you are in good health, Mioda.”

Springing backwards, Ibuki rose her arms and spread them either side of her. The light from the window shone down upon her pale skin. She looked exuberant. “I’m fan-tab-u-lous!”

Part of him was surprised to hear that. Hajime had told him everything that had transpired while he and Hiyoko had been comatose, and while he had expected everyone to be in decent health, he had thought the mood would be more sombre. Then again, this was Ibuki. ‘Sombre’ and its synonyms had no place in her vocabulary.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he finally said.

Silence filled the room, or at least it did for him. Ibuki refused to remain in a quiet environment it seemed, humming and rocking back and forth on her feet. He briefly wondered how teachers had dealt with her in their earlier years.

Eventually, she figured out something to say. “Oh, right! What do you want me to call you?!”

He scowled at her but it had no effect. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re the imposter, of course! And we already have the real Togami here so we can’t keep calling you Togami because then that Togami would get confused, but not really because he’s kind of high and mighty and stuff and no one really likes him ‘cause he’s kinda insulting and calls us peasants and I think Souda changed his name on the computer phone to Young Money,” Ibuki said in one breath.

His mind cleared. He had almost forgotten that the real Togami was around here somewhere. Hajime had mentioned the man briefly, though it had made him confused. Apparently their personalities had differences and that just wouldn’t do. As the Super High School Level Imposter, he was supposed to copy his target to a tee from the state of dress to every aspect of their personality. Hearing that he had been different than the original made him feel worthless.

But there was another problem. “You don’t mind that I’m an imposter?”

Ibuki looked surprised at the question. “Of course not! That’s a really cool talent! You could be the king of a country and no one would know! All the gold in the world could be yours! Ooh, could you be me?! Could ya, could ya, could ya?!”

He sat there with his mouth wide open before managing an answer. “I-If you say so. But as for what to call me… I have no name. That is why I became an imposter in the first place. It wasn’t a hobby. It was a survival technique. And yes, I suppose I could be you if I wanted to be.”

“Hm…” Ibuki made a point of humming quiz show tunes, just to show that she was thinking deeply. When she arrived at an answer she snapped her fingers. “Lightbulb! I’ll just give you my name!”

“ _Your_ name? I’m afraid I do not understand.”

She grinned at him, jumping on his bed and crossing her legs. She didn’t seem to care that she was sitting on his kneecaps. “Well, you said you don’t have a name. So I’m giving you one!”

He was sure she didn’t understand just how delicate the situation was, but he answered her regardless. “That would be too confusing for everyone else. Suddenly there would be two Miodas running around here and people wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Aw! I thought I’d had the most brilliant idea ever!” she said. “Okay, then I’m gonna call you Imposter-chan!”

He spluttered. “Imposter-chan?”

She nodded, a look of pride on her face. Why it was there, he had no clue. “Yep, yep, yep! Until you pick a name for yourself that’s what I’m gonna call you! Whatchya gonna do about the whole Togami thing?”

Despite the casual way she had phrased it, he knew Ibuki had a point. He had to do something about the two apparent Togamis walking around the island. “I think I will stay as Togami Byakuya for a little longer. Everyone must become used to the idea of me being a different person before I change too drastically. Besides, it will give me time to think of a name.”

“Okay!” Ibuki exclaimed, making a peace sign with her fingers. She then let her face turn slightly serious and her hand return to her side. “Just for the record, I kinda like the real you better than Togami. You’re the better Togami.”

He let himself smile, if only a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAM HEADCANON TIME: I couldn't really find a place to address it in the chapter, but the reason the imposter was Togami during the simulation in the first place was because the Future Foundation all drew straws or something like that to see who the imposter would impersonate. Togami lost and thus Twogami was born. That was also why his impersonation wasn't as up to par, as he didn't do the research for his target this time around.
> 
> Also I'm already imagining the kids of the ships from Consciousness i hAVE A PROBLEM.


	10. One: redo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'M STILL HERE.

Hinata Hajime felt a burden lift off his shoulders as soon as he saw the familiar white ceiling. Sure, it was a little cracked and probably needed a new paint job, but it was what he was used to. It was a comforting sight to see.

He blinked once and suddenly Naegi Makoto was hovering over him, a relieved but guarded look on his face. He wondered why that was for a few seconds before remembering everything that had happened. Almost bumping heads with the man above him, he attempted to sit up, but he was far too weak from moving around. Dark splotches entered his vision and he had to close his eyes.

“Whoa, whoa, Hinata-san. Please don’t strain yourself,” Naegi said, fiddling with one of the machines. “Just relax. Do you remember everything that happened?”

Hajime stopped to think. It was true that he remembered the simulation, but the rest was still hazy –

No, he remembered.

He had lost all control over his body, taking a backseat to his own mind as Kamakura took over. Everything that had happened while the man within him was conscious was something he had both seen and feared.

Beginning to panic, he said, “Is everyone alright? I didn’t hurt them, did I?”

Naegi smiled down at him. “Everything’s fine. We managed to sedate you and put you in the simulation before you could do anything. Whatever Towa Monaka did to you has been reversed now thanks to the simulation.”

“Thanks,” Hajime said, and he truly meant it, but there was something else bothering him. “If you don’t mind be asking… Why were Togami and Saionji in the simulation with me? There was nothing wrong with them, right?”

Naegi’s smile became slightly uneasy and his eyes travelled to the other side of the room. Following his gaze, Hajime saw Nagito sitting on a chair in the corner, rubbing his legs and avoiding their eyes. He looked nervous and it took a few moments for Hajime to understand why.

“Wait… Komaeda, did you do something?”

Nagito started rubbing faster and Naegi walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, stopping him almost instantly. “Komaeda-san, I’m going to leave the room and check on the others, alright? You talk to Hinata-san about what happened.”

Hajime didn’t take his eyes off Nagito as Makoto walked out and closed the door behind him, leaving them alone and with no possible interruptions. Hopefully.

“What did you do, Komaeda?”

Nagito slowly turned his head so he was looking directly at Hajime. The latter rose his eyebrows, telling the other that he wasn’t going to let this go anytime soon. Nagito sighed.

“I… I stopped the first simulation so you could be cured,” he mumbled.

His voice was so quiet that Hajime barely heard it, but he knew he wasn’t mistaken by what was said. He remembered Hiyoko and Byakuya, who could only recall the events up until their death. It had been strange at the time, but now it made sense. Naegi had explained to him a long time ago, right when he woke up as a matter of fact, that they couldn’t end with simulation otherwise everyone still connected to it would either die or revert back to their despair selves.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he said, “Komaeda… You shouldn’t have done that, but I think you know that already.”

Nagito nodded, wringing his hands. “Yeah… But it all worked out, right?”

“I suppose, but that’s not the point, Komaeda,” Hajime said, raising his voice a little. That was all it was: a little. He knew Nagito was jumpy and he didn’t want to trigger him. “You could have killed Saionji and Togami. If I had been in my own mind and able to tell you what I wanted, ending the simulation wouldn’t have been it. What the hell were you thinking, Komaeda?”

Nagito’s shoulders slumped a little. “This is where the bad luck returns.”

Hajime scowled. “What do you mean?”

Bringing his chair slightly closer, Nagito said, “You hate me now. It was my good luck that made sure Saionji-san and Togami-kun were still alive and everything went well during the simulation, so my bad luck hadn’t caught up with me. But you… If you hate me, that’s the biggest thing that my bad luck could do. Nothing they could do could be worse than that.”

Hajime could think of a thousand things worse than that, but it was clear that Nagito was different than everyone else in his own way. Of course he would have different worries. “Komaeda… I don’t hate you. What did was stupid as hell, but I don’t hate you. You were only doing what you thought was right for me. I can’t be mad at you for that. Not really.”

Hope filled Nagito’s eyes and he moved his chair all the way to the bed this time. A small smile graced his lips as he laid his head down beside Hajime’s arm, his own arms stretched in front of him. They touched Hajime’s legs and despite the sheets between them a shiver ran down his spine, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. In fact, he welcomed it.

“Thank you, Hinata-kun,” Nagito said, and it was only then that Hajime noticed the bags under his eyes. His face was so pale that he wondered how he hadn’t seen it before. Guilt surged through him as he thought of Nagito waiting all this time for him to wake up.

But he didn’t comment on it. All he did was smile back and say, “You’re welcome, Komaeda.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating as frequently, guys! My birthday is coming up and my mum tends to fuss over preparations so I've been doing that and there's a bunch of other things I had to do. I hope my writing was up to par!


	11. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's short, I know! It's just that it doesn't come with the baggage of SHSL Despair, so y'know, less to angst over.

_Loading background data._

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_100% complete._

_Now initiating memory bank._

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_._

_100% complete._

Nanami Chiaki’s eyelids were heavier than she remembered. With a small noise of protest, she let her head roll to her other side. She didn’t want to wake up. Wherever she was lying was comfortable and as there were no gaming devices within her immediate reach, she had nothing to distract her from her slumber.

“Oi, Nanami. You awake?”

Or not.

Letting her eyes open properly, she stared blankly at the face above her. She had known it was him. His voice was unmistakable, but that didn’t stop her from wondering _why_ he was there.

“Souda, why are you here?”

Kazuichi chuckled. “Blunt as always. I recreated you.”

She blinked. “Recreated me? But… But in the simulation…”

“You died,” he confirmed. “But that was in the simulation. This is real life. You’re a robot now, but other than that you’re the same Nanami from before. Or at least you should be.”

Sitting up, Chiaki realized this was, in fact, the truth. Kazuichi didn’t look exactly as he had during the simulation, somewhat taller with a few scars here and there. She was the same as ever, though she had the feeling she was a bit taller. Her statistics on herself told her as much.

“How long has it been since the simulation ended?” she asked. “How many people are awake?”

Kazuichi gave her a crooked grin. “Everyone. Kuzuryuu and Pekoyama got hitched last week too. Well, she’s not Pekoyama anymore, is she? Ah well, you get what I mean.”

A small smile appeared on her face. “That’s fantastic. I’m happy for them.”

He nodded. “You ready to meet everyone else?”

She wondered what they would all say. They surely hadn’t expected her to come back unless Kazuichi had told them all. He wasn’t good at hiding things, after all.

“Yes… I think.”

Kazuichi jumped off her small bed, an eyebrow raised. “Sort of? Everyone’s gonna be ecstatic that you’re here.”

At the mention of everyone, Chiaki’s mind zeroed in on the two faces she had grown accustomed to most. The two had ultimately caused her death, but it was through her persistence and programming that it had happened. It wasn’t their fault and she wanted to tell them that.

She slid off the bed, confidence swelling inside her. “I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE END.
> 
> The question is what's next? Well, I've been thinking it over and all and I really, really, REALLY want to do a next generation kinda thing. Like, the world is pretty much restored but they're still living on the island and they all have families and _can you just imagine it?_
> 
> I have a few other ideas, like my Fangan Ronpa that I'm working on as well as a sorta sequel that starts where Consciousness pretty much left off. The main characters would be either Hinata and Komaeda or Ibuki and Twogami. I'll have to see what I can do with them, though. Plot-wise, anyway.
> 
> But yeah! If you prefer one of the options over the other tell me!


End file.
